A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Algerian army claims denied by al-Qaeda
ALGIERS -Algerian military sources were yesterday quoted as saying that 20 members of al-Qaeda were killed when militants attacked in the troubled Kabylie region, prompting a major counter-offensive by security forces.
Al-Qaeda Organisation in the Islamic Maghreb denied the reports and said they were "based on leaks by the pagan Algerian army and carried by newspapers without authentication". - (Reuters)
'Brown bounce' a blow to Cameron
LONDON -The pressure on David Cameron was ratcheted up another notch last night with more evidence of a "Brown bounce" in the polls.
A Guardian/ICM survey found that Gordon Brown has gone up in the estimation of 21 per cent of voters since becoming prime minister a month ago.
Meanwhile, more than a fifth of the public said their opinion of the Tory leader had slumped. The picture among existing Tory supporters was also bleak, with 42 per cent saying they liked the party, but disliked Mr Cameron. - (Guardian service)
Russian 'sub' plan to claim Arctic
MOSCOW -A Russian expedition yesterday sailed for the North Pole where it plans to send a mini-submarine crew to plant a flag on the seabed and symbolically claim the Arctic for the Kremlin.
The mission is part of a race to assert rights over the Arctic, an icy wasteland rich in energy reserves and, as climate change melts the ice, could open up to form a lucrative shortcut for ships sailing between Asia and North America. - (Reuters)
4 climbers killed on Mont Blanc
PARIS -Four mountain climbers died of cold and exhaustion after losing their way on snow-capped Mont Blanc in the Alps, French police said yesterday.
The victims - women from New Zealand, France and Chile, as well as a man from Britain - were found at an altitude of about 4,000m (13,120ft), police said. - (Reuters)
Radical Polish priest apologises
WARSAW -A radical Polish priest apologised yesterday after calling president Lech Kaczynski a liar and his wife a witch, as well as making comments seen as anti-Semitic.
Audio tapes released this month appeared to capture Fr Tadeusz Rydzyk telling students of his outrage at the failure of the ruling Kaczynski brothers to toughen abortion laws - already among Europe's toughest. - (Reuters)
'Machine gun shoot' fund-raiser
BOSTON -A planned Republican fund-raiser in New Hampshire aims to promote gun ownership in America by letting supporters fire powerful military-style weapons - from Uzi submachine guns to M-16 rifles.
The Manchester Republican Committee is inviting party members and their families to a "Machine Gun Shoot" where, for $25, supporters can spend a day trying out automatic weapons, said organiser Jerry Thibodeau yesterday. - (Reuters)
Lindsay Lohan in trouble again
LOS ANGELES -Actress Lindsay Lohan was arrested in the Los Angeles area early yesterday on suspicion of drunken driving and cocaine possession, just days after she completed a 45-day rehabilitation programme, authorities said. - (Reuters)
Playwright George Tabori dies at 93
BERLIN -George Tabori (93), a Hungarian-born playwright and director regarded as one of the most significant figures in 20th century theatre, died on Monday, a spokesman for the Berliner Ensemble theatre said. - (Reuters)